makes sense, and it's just taken this venerable institution 1,000 years to realize it. al jazeera, canterbury. thanks so much for watching al jazeera. i'm morgan radford. see you shortly. ♪ ♪ hello, i am richard and you are at the listening post. this week turkey's prime minister accuses the media inspiring against his democratic elected. but they say he is just blowing spoke. a number of reporters have signed up with the obama administration. three more journalists are murdered in pakistan and the taliban say they did the killing.

and when a masterpiece comes to life. that's our web video of the week. there is a huge political story unfolding in turk and it's media aren't just reporting they represent a key subplot. prime minister's government is caught up in a cryption standsal and some journalists and media outlets chasing the story have been paying the price with fines, prosecution and some times their jobs. the country was the world amounts biggest jailer of journalist long before the scandal came to light. we have reported before here on the listening post on the corporate conglomerates that own most of the media outlets in turkey. all of the business that they do with the government through their other companies and how the media outlets they own do not want to jeopardize those business deals through critical reporting about the government. however, the winds are shifting. and news outlets that just a few months ago were happy to carry water for the a.k.p. are now all over the corruption story. the criticism has been sharp,

and the instruments that the government is coming back at them with are blunt. allegations that critical media are part of a conspiracy involving foreign powers who want a new government. all of this is unfolding against the backdrop of upcoming elections. in which the media and their ability to cover the vote will be a crucial part of the democratting process. all in all it will be an interesting year in turk i our starting point is us stan bull. ♪ ♪ >> translator: the media have been divide odd this issue you as is the case ca every issue . there are truth both sides flag up. there are events both sides distort . and there are wrong on both sides

. what is currently having in turkey requires a very special reading in to the media. ♪ ♪ >> any government facing a bribery scandal that has seen three cabinet ministers resign and two the their sons arrested would be in trouble. but for the a.k.p. what turks call the akp part. that a appreciate action is turkish for pure and white. the prime spinster example a. can. p marketed themselves as being above this kind of thing, now they are fighting back and he isn't minuting his words . ♪ ♪ >> when the prime minister speaks, what he says is filtered, depending which turkish media outlet is doing the reporting. most the biggest, most popular channels are considered pro. their owners are conglomerates

that don't want to risk billions of dollars in potential government business because of what mayor media outlets which are worth mere millions report. some channels have remained beyond the government rich and influence as have various newspapers. one of the major opposition papers is called today. >> there are some media groups which try to stay neutral, but the problem here is from the pro government media site, they do not report massive allegations which which is coming out of the prosecutor file. which includes hard evidence, video footages, court sanctioned wire tap evidence. they do not get reported in the pro government media. >> translator: those who work in the mainstream media are either being censored aura plying self censorship. often asking themselves if i do this story i may get in to trouble. as for censorship from the outside, most media ownership is under the monopoly of big

holding groupings, groups that do business with the state and don't want to risk the relationship. so again they thiago the apply f censorship. it's not easy to do in the mainstream media. ♪ ♪ >> that self censorship became crystal clear during last year's protests in istanbul. the pro media initially ignored the story. one news champion showed a documentary on penguins in ants arc at this carafer than the news down the street . thithis is a i about corruption. like the ruling a.k.p. they are based on islamic alis and were allies but have since fallen out and most of the police and prosecutors investigating the scandal who have been percentages are members. in an e-mail to "the listening post." the prime minister's chief adviser called it a state within a state that uses the power of

the state against whomever it considered to be its rifle or enemy . >> it's the biggest one with a big media prior, several ngos, school charities. not just in turkey, but across the world. however, the controversy is less based on the gulam movement, schools, institutions, society, but it is more based on the members of the gulam movement within the police and judiciary. >> translator: but it was the government who originally appointed them to those positions. so the argument by the prime minister that there is a state within a state, is not very convincing. they cooperated with them. they appointed them to those positions and today they declared them the enemy. what happened? >> the government has also gone after journalists over this story. when he published government documents related to gulam. the prime minister called it

open tree an. when the pro gulan paper tweet odd the scantal the prime minister's lawyers took the journalist to court. when he went on tv talking about scandal, he was fired. there is no proof the government was behind that, but the tv host who interviewed him tweeted, what an advanced democracy. another 12 people, including journalists, were purposed from the state-own the channel trt. the members reassigned for what the government called the benefit of the public. they do have media holdings, but the eight tv champions it owns or controls are small and attract less than 10% of the national audience. many more champions with much higher ratings remain in the corner of the government. the accord to this government the conspiracy is not limited to gulan or turkey. one of the senior advisers wrote a piece to al jazerra's website accusing western media of orientalism saying their christ

civil a.k.p. come down to muslim values not its democratic credentials. >> i do admit there is honor honor cental bias. they have supported the government until a few years ago when the a.k.p. was known for reforms and democratic progress in turkey, but they do now criticize the government for democratic thinking, the media which pola polarizes society. so it's true it can be bias but shouldn't lead to closing your eyes and ears from every criticism coming from the west to turkey. >> translator: it is too simplistic to say that the foreign immediate area part of a conspiracy. to say all journalistic activity activity, whether it's foreign or domestic to make the same accusation against both, this is

the prime minter's rear action to coverage. there are areas where it fell short wit but it's not possibleo say all journalistic activity is by buy as. >> the corruption scandal. the demonstration that his preceded it and the contentious ways both stories are covered may have a cumulative effect on elections this year, both local and presidential. for a decade the a.k.p. and most of the turkish media have been on the same page with the prime minister writing much of the script. the elections could reveal if that store and it's turkish media have changed. >> our global village voices on the media out of the turkey. >> both sides are trying to shape the debate. but the pro government side has been more successful. and i think that's fact simply do to the fact that the government has more leverage over more media outlets.

the government has real influence over pretty much the entire mainstream media. and that's really been telling throughout this process. >> since january 5th, there is a report circulating in the turkish media that suggests that the supporting newspaper have his lost their popularity from what used to be 60% now down to 32%. same report also suggests that the popularity of the newspapers which are in opposition to the government, have risen approximately they seem to have gained 1.5 million new readers. ♪ ♪

>> i'm phil torres, for techknow contributor rachelle oldmixon... >> so the first thing i have to do, i get to fill it with saliva... >> this time, it's personal. >> you can fast-forward through this part... >> it's a test that promises to predict her medical future... >> my health risks just loaded, and the first one would give any woman reason to pause... nobody in my family has ever been diagnosed with breast cancer... >> techknow on al jazeera america

♪ time now for "the listening post" post news. pakistani journalists murdered. the taliban say they did if they say it brought it on themselves with their brands of journalist. january 17th three employs of express news tv, a technician, a driver, and security guard died after their van was sprayed with bullets fired from two motorcycle bikes. the north man a cameraman only identified as netab is in stable condition. the taliban told express news through a spokesman that in the

war of ideologists, all media channels including express news are acting as prop began tests and as rival parties, it's the third attack in just six months on the express media group. the most recent occurring in december when its offices were fired upon. commentators say the privately owned outlet is a target because it takes a critical stance on them and the government. bob of the new york-based committee to protect journalists condemned the a track saying the inability or unwillingness of the authoritieses to break perpetrators to justice for the prior attacks on express illustrates how they are emboldened to repeat violence against media outlets and bolster in pattern of impunity. twitter has suspended the accounts of the military wing of hamas. up until january 17th they were able to communicate with its followers via its account and then twitter pulled the plug on the act.

hamas blamed israel for its twitter problem reading it rail well not prevent us from deliver trying to the world. there was also a response from the official account of the israeli arm that i wrote that hamas is a terrorist group that uses social media to attack. they attack one another especially at the heist the 2012 israeli war on gaza. typically, twitter does not comment on why it suspends accounts but said that sus suspensions can occur if there is a violation of its contents rules. press freedom advocates are worried about the development. the london-based index on censorship says gaza is not a half phone media. journalist ists: >> a veteran, egyptian columnist has been forced to backtrack from comments that he made on live television calling for the slaughter of americans.

on january 13th, he appeared on the privately-owned channel vcv and spoke of an alleged plan to assassinate the country's army chief. he said that the plan involves external and internal players and when it happens he says, quote, all of egypt will take arms against the traders and criminals altogether ask they will be slaughtered in their homes. he also wounder that, quote, if anything happens to al al cease-y there won't be an american on earth we will leave in peace aura broad. the comments were picked up boot we attorney media . the he gyms minute tremendous got involved . the journalist said i am opposed to any violence. the intention was to highlight egyptian independence and our adamant refuse toll allow any outside party, be that the u.s. or any other party, to interfere in internal egyptian affairs. ♪ ♪

journalists in washington are supposed to know what is happening in the corridors of power. then there are those who quit their jobs covering the news to work in politics and walk those corridors themselves. and it's a well-worn path. since president obama took office a record number of journalists, 16, have taken up jobs in his administration. politicians and the reporters who cover them are supposed to have an adversarial relationship. so what's at stake when the line between politics and journalism becomes blurred? with so much two-way traffic moving back and forth between the two. "the listening post" now on some of the implications of the revolving door relationship that exists between the news business and the world of politics in washington. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: we have a notion of journalism as being very adversarial, take no prisoners, cover critically the institutions that have so much power. that's our idea of what

journalism should be doing . >> there is a healthy tension, in fact, a necessary tension, between those who cover events and those who make the policy. >> fox's contributor governor sarah palin joins us, welcome back, good to see. >> you that healthy tension is who produces independent, unbiased, balanced coverage. >> thank you so much, sean. ♪ ♪ >> the news in the united states, that tension between the work of journalistses and messaging by political operative is his vanishing. >> i am pleas today announce that she has hey new job joining cbs news. >> reporter: now a baynowadays n the person that shaped the policy is shaping what news audiences are told. >> it's a huge trends and huge moneymaker from sox and sarah palin to the today show hiring jenna bush.

the main thing is that these politicians have star power. in this day and age politicians are celebrities. >> carl rove is a fox news contributor. >> and for a news network, having somebody on their roster that is recognizable big name, is a huge win for them. >> the reason there is so much sort of cross pollination between politics and media is frankly these are things that people on both sides are trained to do. they are trained to go before cameras, they are trained to talk to strangers and talk in a very public way and act in a very public way. >> bill clinton's pass is a test throughout this campaign. >> george ste step step is an example. he was a consult figure in the bill clinton campaign in 1992. he's now one of the top dog on-air personalities of abc. these are people that have traded on their notoriety that

they got through government and have become media stars. >> it's one of these situation where his you realize maybe tv journalist is more like acting, that the people who make the hiring and firing decisions saw him as someone who could perform on camera. and decided that the way that he performed as a spokesperson could translate in to journa journalism. >> in you can describe what that feels like to go from having your days literally numbered to being open ended again. >> but i think it diminishs the credibility of both of journalism and of i think the spin industry when you realize that it's talking in to a camera, it's something that he did on behalf of politicians and now it's something that he does as a quote, unquote, journalist. >> part of the problem is that ttv nets works don't disclose te political connections of their pundits. jay hosted a show on abc but. viewers may not know that he was

a remember cash congressman for six years. >> time to bring in the new host of cross five, stephanie cutter. >> stephanie cutter recently joined cnn, but in her previous role she was a strategist for the democratic part. and frank who hayes contract with fox news and cbs. is also a strait jus strategist and pollster for the republican party. th"the listening post" got in touch with these channels channels regarding the story only abc responded choosing not to comments. tara spent a year working the obama administration. she also served under president clinton. in between those two jobs she spent 10 years at ab c news. >> if you cover foreign policy, you really want to know how foreign policy is made. a journalist knows how to explain stories. and i thought it would be very valuable to help in the

communicating of u.s. foreign policy and if you are going to work with journalists, you do need to understand the time clocks, their requirements, and what it is they are hoping to do. so profession to profession, i thought it was a very good transition. >> it's seen as not that big of ideal to go from one side to the another. and i think that's a big problem. not because people who move from one side to another are not qualified or can't learn to do the other jobs and it's not that they are not sincere in whatever they are trying to do. but i do think in the collective it sends a very, very frankly troubling message about what the intent of the media is and frankly, i wish it wouldn't happen as often as it does. ♪ >> reporter: the obama administration has seen more journalists than ever, at least 16 taking jobs in the administration. the most recent move made by richard stengel former managing editor of time magazine. others includes linda douglas,

former abc news reporter and ex- ex-boston globe reporter glen jacobson, then jay carney the former washington bureau chief for time magazine who now faces off with the media as at white press secretary. >> appeared on television a lot so that made him an attractive selection for the white house. they wanted a press text who was i think familiar to viewers, and i think that's why this phenomenon can get dice glee >> when obama was running for president his message was so crafted and that's because he was so many journalists on his campaign from day one, having journalists on the inside is allowing president obama to convey the message in the way that he wants. >> it's a fine line that a lot of these journalists walk, but as we, you know, you learned in the iraq war and the run up to that, the journalists who i think did the most harm were the journalists who were

closest to the powerful sources feeding them information. the journalists who did the best work, who were more confrontational, more skeptical, were the furthest removed from the corridors of power. it doesn't mean that journalists who are very close to sources within the government can't do good journalism. but i think it makes it more difficult. >> reporter: one could argue that it was a journalist that got barack obama to the white house in the first place. a former reporter from the chicago tribune david axlerod joined timo bomb a in 2003 when he was still in the senate. as his chief justice media advisor axlerod is credited by many in d.c. for master mining obama elections. four years later he quit the white house, but has he quit his job? he's employed by the msnbc news network. >> joining us now david axlerod. >> reporter: did you get that? the anchor woman called axlerod msnbc's political strategist.

>> senior political strategist. >> reporter: but tha he's the network's political amist. 239 anchor woman is confused imagine how viewers the stream is uniquely interactive television. we depend on you, >> you are one of the voices of this show. >> so join the conversation and make it your own. >> the stream. on al jazeera america and join the conversation online @ajamstream.

>> al jazeera's investigative unit has tonights

♪ ♪ finally, reno is an italian animator who seems to have carved out a niche for himself in the world of digital art, his thing is to take old paintings, masterpieces by artists like michelangelo and rubens and by introducing just a little bit of movement digitally, he seems to breathe new life in to the works. his edited collection reflects the cycle of life through to death and towards the end the video gets rather dark. with more than 100,000 hits

online, beauty is our web video of the week, we'll see you next time it "the listening post." ♪ ♪ anti-government protesters besieged a police station in kiev, throwing molotov cocktails and breaking windows. an anti-government protest leader has been killed during demonstrations in thailand. he was shot in the head whilst giving a speech. >> the al qaeda link said group, the islamic state of iraq and levant called on sunnis to abandon the lebanese army, and the group is operating on the ground in syria and says it set up a local unit in lebanon. al jazeera's correspondent has this report from beirut. >> these are groups based in syria and have links to al qaeda.

they have threatened hezbollah, which is sending fighters and fighting alongside the syrian government against rebel groups and the opposition in syria. >> audiences are intelligent and they know that their needs are not being met by american tv news today. >> entire media culture is driven by something that's very very fast... >> there has been a lack of fact based, in depth, serious journalism, and we fill that void... >> there is a huge opportunity for al jazeera america to change the way people look at news. >> we just don't parachute in on a story...quickly talk to a couple of experts and leave... >> one producer may spend 3 or 4 months, digging into a single story... >> at al jazeera, there are resources to alow us as journalists to go in depth and produce the kind of films... the people that you don't see anywhere else on television. >> we intend to reach out to the people who aren't being heard. >>we wanna see the people who are actually effected by the news of the day...

>> it's digging deeper it's asking that second, that third question, finding that person no one spoken to yet... >> you can't tell the stories of the people if you don't get their voices out there, and al jazeera america is doing just that. good afternoon to you, and welcome to al jazeera america. i'm morgan radford live from new york city. syria talks in geneva are on and off as they try to get both sides working on humanitarian aid in the city of homs. they are digging their heels in. demonstrators in ukraine reject the president's offer and vow to keep on going. a gunman that shot and killed two mall workers before shooting himself has been identified.